The Ultimate Guide to Booking a Ceilidh Band

So you’re thinking of booking a Ceilidh band? Great choice! A Ceilidh involves people of all ages and dancing abilities and helps guests to mix and mingle, making it a great option for anything from weddings to corporate parties or anniversary dos.

While a Ceilidh is suitable for almost any event, there are a few things you need to consider before going ahead and booking. One of the most important considerations is space; you’ll need a reasonably large area (depending on the size of your party) as a Ceilidh involves energetic group dancing.

You’ll also need to decide on what kind of music you would like to be played. A Ceilidh can consist of Scottish, Irish, or English folk music, or a mixture of all three.

Finally, you’ll need to find the right Ceilidh band for your area and budget (we’re happy to help with that, of course). But before you start your search, read through our guide below and check out some of the expert advice from our very own Ceilidh bands. 

Before we even begin to consider music styles, it’s important to tackle the basics of booking a band in general. Before confirming a band, you need to consider the following:

Your venue – does your venue have space for the band? Do they have volume restrictions? The answers to these questions will impact the band you choose.

Budget – a 10-piece band with lots of brass instruments will be less purse-friendly than an acoustic duo so decide on a budget before you start browsing bands.

Performance times – what time can the band arrive? Can the band or parts of the band play at different points during the day? Some members of larger bands can perform smaller sets during the ceremony or drinks reception for an additional cost.

Extras – check if the band will provide their own lighting and any other special effects that might add extra wow-factor to their performance.

For a more comprehensive guide to booking a band, read our A-Z guide. 

What is a Ceilidh?

A Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is a traditional social gathering. ‘Ceilidh’ originates from the Gaelic words for ‘visit’ or ‘gathering’ and a Ceilidh was originally an event involving storytelling, poetry, and singing.

These days a Ceilidh almost exclusively refers to dancing and often takes place at weddings, universities or other celebrations and parties. The dances involve simple steps that are taught on the spot by a caller and often involve circular or square formations or two long lines.

What Instruments do Ceilidh Bands Play?

Ceilidh bands typically feature instruments like the fiddle, accordion, flute, tin whistle, bodhrán (frame drum), and in modern bands even guitars, drums, and electric bass are added to the line-up.
 

Can Anyone Take Part in a Ceilidh?

Yes! No dance experience? No problem. Ceilidh dances are designed in a way that anyone can take part. With a caller on hand to instruct guests on the moves, everyone will be told what to do and when. Plus, it’s totally laidback, if you skip a step or mess up, it’s all part of the fun!

You’re also welcome to dip in and out, a Ceilidh can be enjoyed from the side-lines just as much as on the dance floor itself: “Some will not dance all evening and still come to me and say how much they enjoyed it simply from watching. Sometimes it is safer to dance than watch. I’ve seen people doubled up with laughter at what is happening on the dance floor,” Says Martin of The Coisir Ceilidh Band.

Do I Need to Know the Ceilidh Dances Already?

No. A caller will work alongside the band, directing guests: “An experienced, professional caller will be able to guide people with no experience of country dancing successfully through a ceilidh,” Says Mathew of Spancil Hill Ceilidh Band. 

How Much Space Do I Need for a Ceilidh Band?

This will depend on the size of your guest list but generally speaking you will need a large, clear space around the size of the average dance floor: “Make sure your dance area is large enough for your guests to take part in the ceilidh and, if possible, a stage or slightly separated space for the band is perfect to protect the musicians and equipment,” confirms Ross of Scottish Twist Ceilidh Band.

How Long is a Ceilidh Band’s Set?

This will vary from band to band, but Ceilidh sets are usually 45 minutes to one hour and bands will likely play two with a 30-minute break between them. Many bands, including The Premier Ceilidh Band, can be flexible: “We can do any length of ceilidh set depending on your requirements and can even modify on the night. We can also quickly switch between ceilidh band and DJ. We have an extensive range of ceilidh dances and do all of the popular ones. We are also happy to cover any specially requested dances,” Says band member, Alistair. 

Can Ceilidh Music be Mixed with Modern Music or Combined with a Disco?

“Yes, absolutely,” Says Alistair of The Premier Ceilidh Band, “We can provide you with a mixture of ceilidh together with a professional disco package. This is a popular choice for wedding receptions and provides an ideal musical mixture to suit the taste of every guest. You can have your own customised playlist or leave it to us. We can take requests on the night.”

Many Ceilidh bands offer traditional Irish or Scottish dances as well as other kinds of country music: “We are equally able to perform a Scottish ceilidh, an Irish ceilidh or an English or American barndance,” Confirms Mick of Ceilicious. If you have a preference for Irish, Scottish, American, English or a mash-up of everything, be sure to let the band know in advance.

Speaking of mixing things up, there are also an increasing number of bands that blend traditional tunes with guitars, drums and even electronic instruments to give a fresh take on the old Ceilidh style. Check with the band before booking if this is something you’re interested in. 

What Are the Most Popular Ceilidh Tunes?

Ceilidh music is a little different to other genres in that the music is based around the dances and not the other way round. There are no specific songs attached to each dance, rather a selection of suitable melodies for each dance which individual bands can choose from. This means that while one band may choose one tune for (for example) the Canadian Barn Dance, another may play something else, but both song choices will be suitable for that particular dance.

Tunes for the dances are often played in sets which are a combination of three or four 32-bar melodies that are repeated for the entire dance. Some of the most popular dances include: The Dashing White Sergeant, The Gay Gordons, and Strip the Willow. These dances are sometimes referred to as the ‘big three’ of Ceilidh.

With all of this in mind, it’s best to focus on the dances you’d like to try rather than the music itself. You can find plenty of examples of some of the most popular dances online for inspiration, but your best source of information will be your chosen Ceilidh band.

Our Ceilidh bands have years of experience and will know exactly which dances will best suit your event and which songs to play alongside them. Ceilidh bands are also amongst some of the most flexible set-ups and can switch things up according to mood: “Clarify if the musicians can adapt to the crowd - good ceilidhs are about reading the room, not just blasting through a setlist,” Says Fred of Stepwood Ceilidh Band. 

Feeling inspired to start your band search? Check out our amazing selection of Ceilidh Bands. Dotted throughout the UK, there’ll be a band here for you.